Living

Chapter 20: Spot's Birthday "Spectacular"

Race and Spot sat next to each other, smiling and giggling quietly. They were sitting on a park bench, eating fast food.

"Or- wait, remember that time Hotshot threw cake at your face when you turned 16? Best. Day. Ever."

Spot laughed. "Of course you'd say that."

"What? It was funny, and you know it", Race chuckled, looking down at his lap, where his burger stayed in his hands. He felt a bit guilty.

The birthday-dinner-date was a bust. Race had it planned out perfectly. He made dinner reservations at the nicest restaurant he could afford—which was actually pretty nice—and planned to have him and Spot dine together as he sang Happy Birthday quietly, with a candle sticking out of some ice cream.

But the restaurant accidentally cancelled their reservation, which meant their date was gone, for the most part.

"I'm sorry our date was ruined", Race sighed, glancing at his boyfriend. "I had it all planned out, I swear-"

"Who said it was ruined?"

Spot didn't see it as ruined. He didn't want to go to a fancy restaurant anyway.

He was completely fine with what he'd been doing for the past few years: sitting around a table with a few friends and having a cake fight. He loved that.

But Race said turning 21 was very important, and should be celebrated as so, so Spot sucked it up and went along with it.

"I'm completely fine with sittin' in fancy clothes eatin' burgers with my boyfriend on a park bench", Spot smiled when Race laughed. "I didn't need none of that fancy stuff."

"I just wanted you to feel special."

"I do. Everyday I see you."

Race blushed looking away in attempt to hide his face. "Frickin' sap."

Spot chuckled, standing up from the bench. "Come on. I'm late to my own birthday party."

Race stood up with him, laughing. "If that's not iconic, then what is?"

They walked back to Spot's house together, hand in hand.

————————

"Leave it to Spot to be late to his own party", Jack grumbled, a red solo cup in his hand. "And why can't we drink again?"

"Because most of us aren't legal", Myron answered, sighing.

"Since when did you care about bein' legal?"

"That's fair", Myron chuckled, running a hand through her hair. "But it's Spot's birthday, and he doesn't drink anyway."

Jack groaned, sitting on the couch next to his boyfriend as he pouted. "He's like an old person already."

Davey chuckled, ruffling his hair. "That's ten years, bud."

Jack rolled his eyes. "So?"

"Don't you want to grow old?"

"It's not exactly on my current bucket list."

Bart laughed, opening bags of chips and putting them in bowls. "Stop complaining, Jack. The party will start soon enough."

"Yeah", Mush agreed. "Not everyone is here yet anyway."

"Romeo and Specs said they're on their way", Blink says, wiping his hands on his jeans. "They got lost."

"Naturally", Albert muttered, rubbing his eyes. He looked at the younger guys. "What are you guys doin'?"

"We's playin' cards", Snipeshooter muttered, concentrated. "I's tryin' to win."